cusp

noun

ˈkəsp How to pronounce cusp (audio)
Definition of cuspnext
1
as in verge
an interval of time just before the onset of something medical researchers who are on the cusp of a major breakthrough

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in end
the last and usually sharp or tapering part of something long and narrow the cusp of a fang

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cusp The inability to imagine a middle-class life—especially for the Subaru Socialists right on the cusp of comfort—seems to be what’s behind a slate of recent electoral victories for the Democratic Socialists of America. — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2026 Pandemic restrictions heavily curtailed his first season, while a wave of antitrust litigation challenged the economic foundation of the NCAA and California moved to the cusp of ushering in the NIL era through state-level legislation. — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 23 July 2026 The clutter ebbs and flows like the tide, reflecting the chaos of spaces where artists live, often homes just on the cusp between quaint and unbearably chaotic. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 21 July 2026 Also, if this is what the cusp of 50 looks like, please pass the bottle of potion. — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for cusp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cusp
  1. verge
  2. end
  3. brink
  4. tip
  5. apex
Noun
  • Sinner, who needed the title to complete a career Grand Slam of his own, lost to Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerúndolo from the verge of victory, wilting in the heat of Paris and with no little help from an illness.
    — James Hansen, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • But the police also caution that many stories involving scopolamine verge on urban legend, and confirm that most criminals use other sedative drugs to manipulate their victims.
    — Mattha Busby, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of verge
Noun
  • The final scene was shot on Marina Beach at the end of a rough day, in a window of just a few hours.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The vestiges of his fading memory flash by with a haunting plainness, the melancholy of all this Americana and the sadness of a mind ravaged by time strike the viewer plainly at the end of this maximalist piece of life-writing.
    — Stephanie Wambugu, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of end
Noun
  • If foods or liquids within the main refrigerator compartment are showing signs of frost or freezing, this is a sign that your fridge could be at its brink.
    — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Keegan later moved into management, revitalizing Newcastle ​United and taking ​the club to ⁠the brink of the Premier League title in the mid-1990s before enduring a more difficult spell as England manager.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
Definition of brink
Noun
  • The staff are attentive and put in a lot of effort, ready to share tips and favourite restaurants, and really go the extra mile to make your stay pleasant and memorable.
    — Julia Wytrazek, TheWeek, 13 Oct. 2026
  • After Collins’ family reported her missing, police followed a tip to the Pham’s unit, nestled behind NoDa’s main strip, and found Collins wrapped in duct tape and stuffed into a mattress.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of tip
Noun
  • Noma At its apex, Noma’s influence on the culinary world was immense and inescapable.
    — Robb Report, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026
  • When Joe Manganiello collapsed in pain on the set of Six in Wilmington, North Carolina, in 2016, the 39-year-old was at the apex of his career.
    — Joe Manganiello, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of apex

Browse Nearby Words

cushy
cusp
cusps
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Cite this Entry

“Cusp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cusp. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cusp

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cusp

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